Millions of households in the United States and throughout the world keep domesticated pets indoors. Allowing the animal to remain indoors reduces exposure to infectious diseases, territorial disputes with other neighborhood animals, and exposure to the harsher elements of weather, such as rain, snow, the cold of winter and the heat of summer. And, since an animal will not always be supervised as it undergoes various developmental stages such as teething and potty training, there often exists a need to enclose the animal when the owners are not present. Additionally, many veterinarians recommend having an enclosure for an animal that acts as a “safe place” that the animal may go even when the owners are home.
One common problem that has been found to exist with current pet enclosures is that they generally are not aesthetically pleasing or complimentary to the typical home decor. As a result, pet owners commonly hide the enclosure in areas not frequented by the family or guests. Often, however, it would be desirable to locate the enclosure in a more visible location, for example, for promoting the animal's usage of the enclosure while increasing human interaction with the pet.
Attempts have been made to provide pet enclosures that are more aesthetically appealing. Such past attempts have included the placement of veneering on the exterior of the enclosure to compliment the décor; however, this generally results in either poor ventilation for the animal, or the enclosure being too heavy and cumbersome to move conveniently. Another shortcoming of current pet enclosures is that they absorb and emit pet odors that can foul the smell of the entire house or apartment surroundings. For example, the inclusion of many materials such as wood and/or other natural materials, and/or natural or synthetic fabric into an enclosure can trap urine and other sources of unpleasant odors associated with animals. Attempts to reduce the absorption of odors have generally focused on fabricating the structure entirely of metal or other non-porous materials. This construction, however, typically results in an unattractive enclosure not complimenting to typical home décor, as discussed above.
Another shortcoming of many known enclosures is their lack of transportability. The construction of many enclosures often renders them too cumbersome to utilize on trips away from home. This may be caused by the amount of time and/or tools needed to set up and disassemble the enclosure, and/or the overall weight of the enclosure. Because of this inconvenience, many consumers are forced to purchase one enclosure for the house, and another less appealing, or less useful, but more easily portable enclosure for traveling.
Thus it can be seen that needs exist for improvements to pet enclosures to provide a more attractive appearance that matches a typical home decor, that does not absorb pet odors, and that is easily compacted for transport and/or storage outside the home.